A dear friend of mine, who is a marriage and family therapist, recently sent me a piece of research because, as she put it, it reminded her of my family. This is both a compliment and a small accusation. I’ve often felt I know more family history than the average person should. Not just the…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/pexels-rdne-7782973-scaled-e1783348958921.jpg9562048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2026-07-12 11:30:002026-07-06 10:50:32The Stories That Make Us Strong
As we just celebrated America’s 250th birthday, I found myself thinking about freedom. Not just the big, beautiful idea of it, but the everyday reality of it. We enjoy freedom of speech, but that freedom depends on people using their words with some measure of truth, courage and restraint. We enjoy freedom of religion, but…
Last Sunday, we celebrated Father’s Day. There were cards with handprints, neckties that may or may not ever be worn, backyard cookouts, phone calls, social media tributes and children proudly presenting homemade gifts involving glue, glitter and questionable spelling. Father’s Day gives us a chance to say what should probably be said more often: Dads…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/pexels-orlandoallo-3398421-scaled.jpg20481437Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2026-06-28 11:00:002026-06-22 12:53:15Dad’s Earliest Job May Be More Important Than We Thought
The Stories That Make Us Strong
A dear friend of mine, who is a marriage and family therapist, recently sent me a piece of research because, as she put it, it reminded her of my family. This is both a compliment and a small accusation. I’ve often felt I know more family history than the average person should. Not just the…
A Healthy Relationship Equals Freedom to Be Yourself
As we just celebrated America’s 250th birthday, I found myself thinking about freedom. Not just the big, beautiful idea of it, but the everyday reality of it. We enjoy freedom of speech, but that freedom depends on people using their words with some measure of truth, courage and restraint. We enjoy freedom of religion, but…
Dad’s Earliest Job May Be More Important Than We Thought
Last Sunday, we celebrated Father’s Day. There were cards with handprints, neckties that may or may not ever be worn, backyard cookouts, phone calls, social media tributes and children proudly presenting homemade gifts involving glue, glitter and questionable spelling. Father’s Day gives us a chance to say what should probably be said more often: Dads…